Halfwalker

I'm not so sure about that. cmdlines.txt is processed, running all the commands it find in there. How is it to know that the line "REGEDIT /S quicklaunch.reg" Should be run as default user, yet the next line "RunOnceEx.cmd" should not ? I do the same thing to set up RocketDock preferences ... The RunOnceEx.cmd contains this : REGEDIT /S %cdrom%\$OEM$\RocketDock.reg REGEDIT /S %cdrom%\$OEM$\quicklaunch.reg md "%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs\Security" md "%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs\DVD" Where RocketDock.reg contains this : Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\RocketDock-v0.9.4] "Version"="1.1.1" "CustomIconFolder"="" "Theme"="ProtoSky" "ThemeOpacity"="100" : : That works fine. If I create a new user, it inherits this config. I'm more inclined to believe prathapml - have to logoff to have the registry entries get written - something I did NOT do. I just made my changes, then exported the key. I'll try the full deal today ... 11:40am EST OK, it almost worked. I set up the quicklaunch bar with additional icons, sized it, locked the taskbar. Logged off. Logged back on. Exported the key - yup - much longer now. Put that regfile into my CD source, rebuilt, and reinstalled into a VM. The quicklaunch bar is now enabled, but the additional icons I put in there did not show up. Dang it. D.

Slightly different question here ... For an unattended install CD, we know that the files being installed are all clean right ? I mean, everyone here has verified that they are clean, right No matter when you build your CD, the next day the defs will be out of date. You will have to download (liveupdate, whatever) current defs, regardless. So the defs that are installed are just about useless, they just take up precious room on the CD. I want to replace that 8meg file with something tiny, just one def. So first thing, SAV will go out and update itself with the latest defs. Any ideas ? D.

Sunon Maglev fans. http://www.sunonusa.com/ms.htm D.

RogueSpear has a switchless install for VMWare Tools v5.0, as seen here VMWare switchless install He uses a nice little VBS script to check if it's running in a VM - if it is, it installs. D.

Doesn't seem to work here. XP starts up with no Quicklaunch visible, and tool bar locked. I unlock it, then enable it in properties, and copy several shortcuts to it. Then lock it again, and export the registry key, which looks like this : Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams\Desktop] "TaskbarWinXP"=hex:0c,00,00,00,08,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,aa,4f,28,68,\ 48,6a,d0,11,8c,78,00,c0,4f,d9,18,b4,0c,03,00,00,60,0d,00,00,00,00,00,00,16,\ 00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,16,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,00 "Toolbars"=hex:11,00,00,00,00,00,00,00 "Upgrade"=dword:00000001 That's installed as the first thing in my RunOnceEx.cmd, which is called from cmdlines.txt. No quicklaunch bar D.

Same thing happens here when installing Alcohol 120%. I just leave it, and it seems to time out and continue. D.

Hrm - this is a little odd. I'm sometimes seeing that a cmd file doesn't actually run. For example, the RunOnceEx.cmd sets up all the individual sections for all the apps as shown above. My two files for WinRAR are like this : installit.cmd @echo off set NUM=%1 set DIR=%2 set KEY=%3 REG ADD %KEY%\%NUM% /VE /D "WinRAR v3.5 Corporate" /f REG ADD %KEY%\%NUM% /V 1 /D "%DIR%\winrar_350_CE.exe /S" /f and finishup.cmd @echo off move "%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\WinRAR" "%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories" rd /s /q "%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Start Menu\Programs\WinRAR" I've noticed that for a few apps, the finishup.cmd doesn't run. The actual code I'm using for RunOnceEx.cmd is this : @Echo Off FOR %%i IN (D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z) DO IF EXIST %%i:\win51ip.SP2 SET CDROM=%%i: SET PP=%cdrom%\Apps\ SET KEY=HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx REG ADD %KEY% /V TITLE /D "Installing Programs" /f %CDROM% cd %PP% rem ********************************** rem * Using 213.PeerGuardian v2 as example directory rem * %%~ni resolves to numerical part of directory name = 213 rem * %%~xi resolves to extentions after . of dir name = .PeerGuardian v2 rem * %PP% resolves to location on CD of all apps = d:\apps\ rem * rem * So parameters passed to installit.cmd in each directory are : rem * 1 ___________2__________ ____3__________ rem * / \ / \ / \ rem * 213 d:\apps\213.PeerGuardian HKLM\SOFTWARE.... rem * rem * NOTE! No dots or spaces in directory name aside from number separator !! rem * 213.PeerGuardian-V2 is OK rem * 213.PeerGuardian.V2 is Verboten ! rem * 213.PeerGuardian V2 is Verboten ! rem ********************************** for /D %%i in (*) do ( %%i\installit.cmd %%~ni %PP%%%i %KEY% if exist "%PP%%%i\finishup.cmd" REG ADD %KEY%\%%~ni /V 99 /D "%PP%%%i\finishup.cmd %PP%%%i" ) REG EXPORT %KEY% "%systemdrive%\RunOnceEx-install.txt" EXIT Note the reg export at the bottom - I want to see the entire RunOnceEx tree. But this doesn't actually save it. There is no c:\RunOnceEx-install.txt file generated. It works fine in a batchfile on it's own afterwards. That is, I create a few entries, then run a one-liner with the reg export in it, and it produces the expected file with the expected tree. But it doesn't seem to work when run from RunOnceEx.cmd, as called by cmdlines.txt. So, any ideas ? D.

nmX.Memnoch - Thanks - that did the trick. I put a regedit load into cmdline.txt - worked fine. D.

Excellent ! Thanks so much. D. Hrm - didn't work. I added the same set of entries under HKU\.Default\Software then created a new user. Nope - new user didn't seem to pick it up, so RocketDock just created it's own tree in the new HKCU\Software ...

How would one add a group of registry entries into HKCU whenever a new user is created ? The app I'm stuck with is RocketDock. Very nice, fast dock, but it keeps settings in HKCU ... I've already got the registry tree set up and installing correctly during system install, but that goes in for Administrator. The first thing people do is create a new user, but when RocketDock starts up, it notices that there is no tree in the new HKCU, so it creates a default set. Yuck. I want a way to put something into Default User that contains a .reg file to be merged when a new user is created. Any ideas ? Thanks - D.

Thought I would pass this along. This is how I'm handling installing apps on the CD ... Originally I had each one in it's own directory, and would put in all the proper commands in RunOnceEx.cmd, called from cmdlines.txt in $OEM$. That got to be a hassle - every time I wanted to add or move the order of an app. So, now it goes like this : In the Apps\ folder on the CD source tree, create a folder for each application you want to install. They should be named as follows 206.WinRAR That is, a number, a dot, and a name. No other dots, no spaces etc in the directory name. The number is the order if installation in the RunOnceEx tree structure, so moving apps around in order is just a matter of renaming the dir to a new number. RunOnceEx.cmd contains the following : @Echo Off FOR %%i IN (D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z) DO IF EXIST %%i:\win51ip.SP2 SET CDROM=%%i: SET PP=%cdrom%\Apps\ SET KEY=HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx REG ADD %KEY% /V TITLE /D "Installing Programs" /f %CDROM% cd %PP% for /D %%i in (*) do %%i\installit.cmd %%~ni %PP%%%~ni%%~xi %KEY% for /D %%i in (*) do REG ADD %KEY%\%%~ni /V 99 /D "%PP%%%i\finishup.cmd" exit This changes to the Apps directory on the CD, then enumerates every directory there in order of the numbers. It calls a standard batch file installit.cmd for each one and passes it 3 parameters ... Number - this is the numerical part of the directory name Path - this is the full path to the directory, including drive Key - the registry key root to install to %%~ni resolves to the number of the app %%~xi resolves to the name of the app It then inserts a call to the finishup.cmd file at position 99 for each numbered directory. That batchfile contains any cleanup you need to do - removing spurious shortcuts, adding registry entries, etc. In each directory you have the installit.cmd file and any other files you need to silently install the application. installit.cmd contains the following (for WinRARas example) @echo off set NUM=%1 set DIR=%2 set KEY=%3 REG ADD %KEY%\%NUM% /VE /D "WinRAR v3.5 Corporate" /f REG ADD %KEY%\%NUM% /V 1 /D "%DIR%\winrar_350_CE.exe /S" /f This inserts the appropriate commands to install the app in the numerical order you select by virtue of the name of the directory. In this case, WinRAR will be installed via key #206. Just change it from 206.WinRAR to 234.WinRAR to move it's installation order. There are a couple of things to be done for WinRAR once installed, so those commands go into the finishup.cmd file in the 206.WinRAR directory. In my case, it contains : move "%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\WinRAR" "%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories" rd /s /q "%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Start Menu\Programs\WinRAR" It's also easy to remove apps - just move the directory out of Apps. No need to go edit RunOnceEx.cmd. Each application is a self-contained directory, so changes you make to one won't affect another. Making a custom CD is really easy now - just drag the apps you want in and out of the Apps directory in your CD source, then gen the image. No edits, nothing D.

OK - reply back from Trend. It is impossible to replace the 9.8meg lpt$vpn.184 file with a smaller one. Dang. In other news, add WFW=2 to setup.ini to have it default to turning off Windows Firewall. D.

Yup - tried that. It complains that it can't find the file, and fails to install. Hrm - I'll try an empty file for that ..... D. Nope - doesn't work. It complains that it want you to create a Pattern directory with a pattern file in it. Tried a few combinations of data in the file (empty, 2 blank lines, 1k from the .184 file etc) but no go. I've sent in a support request to Trend, asking specifically about this, and also about all the possible command-line parameters, and setup.ini settings. We'll see what comes back ...

So how exactly is the CD starting the install ? It doesn't need any 32bit OR 16bit environment ... The Microsoft Corporation.img loader comes up and starts up setup.exe. There must be an emulation for the MasterBootRecord of the USB drive that can hold and properly load up in the same way ... If syslinux could handle larger than 16k clusters, it would work fine. Use memdisk, and point the initrd at Microsoft Corporation.img. memdisk requires diskette images, so it may not work that way, so perhaps isolinux - that takes no-emulation boot records. Heh, I take back the lots - I did see Dietmar's page, and a few others as I recall. All via google and a couple of hours of digging around. But definitely more than one. I skimmed them looking for examples of installing via USB drive, but no luck. D.

Yeah, I'm considering doing this. I would really prefer to remove that **** 9.8meg file though - it would save 9.8meg on the CD, and no matter what I update with, soon enough there will be more updates that have to be downloaded ANYWAY. D.

Hey - I have a nice silent install of Trend PC-Cillin 2005 going here. Works well. The only real hassle is that the default signature file that is installed is out of date, and need to be updated immediatly, regardless. It's also a large file ... It's the lpt$vpn.184 file, and it's 9.8Meg. It would be really nice to have a tiny one or two pattern file for the install, and let it download the latest pattern file on first use, as it does anyway. Any ideas on how to do a small file ? Or perhaps how to simply delete this file, and have the installer ignore the fact that it's not there ? D.

Yup - I've seen that page. Actually booting from the USB key is not the problem. It's setting up the files, boot image etc, on the key that's the hiccup. The CD normally boots via the Microsoft Corporation.img bootimage. That's a tiny program that then loads up setup.exe, which in turn is only 1.3k in size. I'm guessing that Microsoft Corporation.img also does the "press any key to boot from CD" msg ... It's a pity that syslinux doesn't support cluster sizes greater than 16K, which limits it to 1G filesystems. That would be ideal to have a generic installation USB key, able to install XP Pro, Linux etc, all right from one device. D.

Hey - I've done some digging around, and I can only find one comment on booting to install XP Pro from a USB key. That's on the http://www.experts-exchange.com forum, which is a PAY for information one ... As Stallman says, information should be free Given that CDs only hold around 700meg, maybe 800, and that 2G USB keys are now common, I would like to set up an XP Pro installation on a USB key. Pop in the key rather than a CD, set to boot from USB-HDD, and install away, with more room for apps etc. Note - this is not actually running XP from the key - I've seen lots of examples of that. This is basically emulating a normal CD install, just sourcing it from a USB key rather than CD. Any ideas ? D.

This is quite cool. Where did you find the information ? Be nice to see if it can scale images as well. D.

Hey - I'm looking for a small utility that can put up a small information dialog box - displayed info to be taken from command line for example. This is because occasionally there is an app or whatnot that just won't go in completely unattended. I want to put up a box explaining what to do before the app install is kicked off. Ideal would be if this utility could take two parameters - first to be the install/setup command and any parameters, second to be the text to display. That way it could wait for the setup process to end, then it would exit. D.

Bingo - that works. It only works for the Starts In field though - can't use it in the Target field. Thanks - D.

Wow, no-one knows these two ? D.

The RyanVM pack works perfectly. I run it in RunOnceEx, and away it goes, silently. Now, how can it be integrated with the existing CD ? I'm sure there are a lot of files that are replaced, so the installer is taking up extra space. D.

Well, hundreds of motherboards maybe, but it won't take hundreds of drivers I bet. There are only so many chipsets out there. Why don't you take a look at Bashrat's driverpacks ? Use his methods to add any other drivers you need. That way everything is on one CD, you don't need a floppy per motherboard type (and many systems don't even bother with floppies any more). Bashrat's Driverpacks I'm using the driverpack now on my CD, and I have yet to see a system it won't install on. D.

Tough to put the whole question into the topic line up there. Basically, I'm trying to figure out how to create shortcuts, dirs etc, that will be created whenever a new user is created. The dirs etc are easy - make them as you like in c:\documents and settings\Default User\ and the first time the user logs in, those will all be copied over. The problem is with shortcuts that need the Starts In field set to their My Documents folder. The username isn't known at install time, so there must be a way to run a batchfile when the user is created. That would know the username, and thus be able to create the shortcuts appropriately. The example I'm using is the Putty SSH tools, Puttygen.exe. It defaults to offering to save keyfiles in the folder it was started from. You have to navigate back up to your My Documents folder or somewhere. I want it to default to My Documents\SSH Tools. So manually, I set the Starts In[/b field in the shortcut to c:\Documents and Settings\username\My Documents As an example, my Tweaks.cmd file runs after RunOnceEx.cmd, and does this : echo Install Putty SSH programs md "%systemdrive%\Program Files\SSH Tools" md "%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\SSH Tools" md "%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\SSH Tools" md "%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\Default User\My Documents\SSH Tools" copy "%PP%\Putty\putty.exe" "%systemdrive%\Program Files\SSH Tools" copy "%PP%\Putty\puttygen.exe" "%systemdrive%\Program Files\SSH Tools" copy "%PP%\Putty\pscp.exe" "%systemdrive%\Program Files\SSH Tools" copy "%PP%\Putty\psftp.exe" "%systemdrive%\Program Files\SSH Tools" copy "%PP%\Putty\pageant.exe" "%systemdrive%\Program Files\SSH Tools" xxmklink "%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\SSH Tools\Puttygen.lnk" "%systemdrive%\Program Files\SSH Tools\puttygen.exe" "" "%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\SSH Tools" xxmklink "%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\SSH Tools\Putty.lnk" "%systemdrive%\Program Files\SSH Tools\putty.exe" "" "%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\SSH Tools" xxmklink "%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\SSH Tools\PSFTP.lnk" "%systemdrive%\Program Files\SSH Tools\psftp.exe" "" "%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\SSH Tools" rem Pageant link needs a parameter of the keyfile to use xxmklink "%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\SSH Tools\Pageant Key agent.lnk" "%systemdrive%\Program Files\SSH Tools\pageant.exe" "" "%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\SSH Tools" I need to be able to duplicate the xxmklink lines when a new user is created, replacing Administrator with the new username. Any ideas ? D.